Analyzing iPic Entertainment (OTCMKTS:IPIC) and Ark Restaurants (NASDAQ:ARKR)
by Amy Steele · The Cerbat GemArk Restaurants (NASDAQ:ARKR – Get Free Report) and iPic Entertainment (OTCMKTS:IPIC – Get Free Report) are both retail/wholesale companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, dividends, analyst recommendations, risk, institutional ownership, profitability and earnings.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a breakdown of recent ratings for Ark Restaurants and iPic Entertainment, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Ark Restaurants | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.00 |
| iPic Entertainment | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Given iPic Entertainment’s higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe iPic Entertainment is more favorable than Ark Restaurants.
Profitability
This table compares Ark Restaurants and iPic Entertainment’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Ark Restaurants | -3.97% | -8.49% | -2.09% |
| iPic Entertainment | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Volatility and Risk
Ark Restaurants has a beta of 0.34, meaning that its stock price is 66% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, iPic Entertainment has a beta of -2.08, meaning that its stock price is 308% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Earnings & Valuation
This table compares Ark Restaurants and iPic Entertainment”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Ark Restaurants | $165.75 million | 0.14 | -$11.47 million | ($1.74) | -3.64 |
| iPic Entertainment | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
iPic Entertainment has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Ark Restaurants.
Institutional and Insider Ownership
32.0% of Ark Restaurants shares are held by institutional investors. 37.5% of Ark Restaurants shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 50.7% of iPic Entertainment shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Summary
iPic Entertainment beats Ark Restaurants on 5 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Ark Restaurants
Ark Restaurants Corp., through its subsidiaries, owns and operates restaurants and bars in the United States. It operates restaurants in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Las Vegas, Nevada; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Florida; and Alabama, as well as fast food concepts and catering operations. The company was incorporated in 1983 and is based in New York, New York.
About iPic Entertainment
iPic Entertainment Inc. operates restaurants and theaters in the United States. The company operates casual restaurants, farm-to-glass full-service bars, and theater auditoriums with in-theater dining. It operates restaurants under the City Perch Kitchen + Bar, Tanzy, The Tuck Room, The Tuck Room Tavern, and iPic Express brands. It operates screens in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington. The company was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida.